1967 side pipe rear quarter panel cutoff - were some this bad?

[James G.]

Given all of the indications this car is a real N14, however this quarter cutoff - appears to have been sawn off by someone working a drill sideways. Has anyone seen something comparable?
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[Tom D.]

list for ncrs org - 1.jpg There are other hints. See your 1967 NCRS TIM&JG (a listing in the judging manuals). If not in 1967, look at 65 or 66. In both: Exterior and chassis judging sections.

Here's a real GM cut (below). Ignore primer on the frame...
image for ncrs org 2 - 1.jpg

[James G.]

I really don't have a question as to whether the car was originally equipped with N14 - I was wondering if anyone had seen a cut off done at the factory like this?
The sidepipes have the original exhaust donuts and nuts - also After dryice cleaning the rear frame rails and chassis, there are no witness marks in the original frame paint at the rear hanger locations - and there are no threads in the holes for the exhaust ground straps in the crossmember (photo of ground strap hole dryice cleaned).

[James G.]

The drips from the holes and on the "bottoms" (rear) of the crossmembers are everywhere. Cleaning such a nice original chassis is so gratifying, this is just AMAZING.
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This is the first pass with dryice on the pass half the floor, the entire chassis looked like the muddy drivers side floor pan.
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[Tim S.]

Looks to be a neat car James. Would love to see more!

[James G.]

Tim,
I am encouraging the owner to bring it out for judging, he says he is going to drive it, it is a 33k mile car parked in the 70's.
Paint came up pretty well for having been stacked to the garage ceiling with a C1 hardtop and NOS corvette parts on the rear deck and roof, the weight flexed the roof and checked/chipped/ cracked the paintin a radial pattern - worst is probably the roof, looks like someone swirled sand over it. I put about a quart of Meguires #7 into the paint and have been dabbing in and then hand polishing the bigger chips for the last month.- It looks presentable from 10 feet, - good from far... but far from good saying.
Tom,
Thank you, the photo you posted appears to have the "longer" tail on the trailing edge and not be cut off straight across as I have seen in other photos. I thought the crazy cut was really odd which is why I inquired.
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[Leif A.]

James,
My '67 with factory installed N14.
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[James G.]

When I was dry ice cleaning one corner of the tank sheet blew out... so today I dropped the tank and retrieved the "birthing docs"

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[Tim G.]

James, those are typical cutouts, they just sliced and diced them. I have a twin to your car in color, along with the pipes. As I’ve learned, there are many unique features to a side pipe car.

[Mark N.]

Well, this is my very first post ever. Per John Hinckley- Feb. 20, 2010. " The curved cut in the rear wheel house front panel was done off line with a router and a template fixture." I miss John. Thank-you-------Mark

[James G.]

Thank you for the replies and until this thread I did not even realize that the arc cut inside the wheel house was different than a rear exhaust car, equally as pleased to see that this car has it.

I. I was more asking about the outside quarter panel cut - illustrated by the blue line in the first photo below - which appears to me like someone drilled a couple of holes then slid the drill sideways to hack an inch or so off. Granted all of the sawing on the rockers is pretty sloppy.
2. Also I just saw this earlier today, were the 10-24 clipnuts installed when the car was painted? Two were broken and when removed it is bare fiberglass under them.
67_n14_quarter.jpg
N14_clip_bare_f_glass.jpg

[James H.]

Hello All
James this is Chris Henry (61744). We have meet at one of the events.
I have been researching side pipes car for many years- years- and have been able to acquire many photos of all of the procedures at the factory, under the N14 job run number.
You my friend have the absolute perfect example of what really went on with the over 8500 side pipe C2's.
Yes ---The rear tab was cut with a router, most of my pics show -inserted toward the back and went forward.
Your left side will be different than the right. Maybe the left side cutter man had a better night sleep than the right.
Does your front tab cut have any drips left on them? Again Tim Gilmore and I have many pics of that certifying
procedure.
My research shows the front tabs were cut with a small wheel grinder with a depth guard. Some of the time that left the drip. --------Another factory N14 procedure.------
James I am revising my brochure on N14 cars. May I use one of your pics your put up? It is so unique. I could send you a copy when I get it back from the printer,
I might have a tech session (maybe a class) set up at the Howey in the Hills event in November in Florida.
Thank you for finding and exposing your unique car.
Chris

[James H.]

This is a pic of my rear tab. Alot like yours not perfect--

[Mark F.]

...2. Also I just saw this earlier today, were the 10-24 clipnuts installed when the car was painted? Two were broken and when removed it is bare fiberglass under them...

James,

Nice N14 find w/ docs ! Any full-view pix available of the car ? 😊
Perhaps a Bowtie candidate ?

I am fascinated by auto assembly processes and in addition to my work experience at Ford, I have done a lot of research on it – particularly Corvette-related.

Your question piqued my interest…“were the 10-24 clipnuts installed when the car was painted?”

Per John Hinckley's C2 Assembly Process Presentation (available in the Database of Restoration Documents [DoRD] Sticky Post) and his Corvette Enthusiast Articles, he refers to these as “U-nuts”. I think (? dunno for sure ?) the italicized language below is where he said the N14 side exhaust cover U-nuts were installed:

…Final Hard Trim Inspection and transfer to overhead conveyor carrier to Body Drop. Parking, tail, backup, and license lamp and bezel, antenna body, N03 underbody plumbing, N14 side exhaust cover U-nuts and the underbody tunnel insulator were installed after the body was elevated in the body drop carrier and before the carrier was transferred over the Chassis Line for body drop…

The image below shows generally where that may have taken place (see red rectangle).

I reviewed all of his Body Shop discussions and did not see references to these being installed prior to the Paint Shop. That’s not to say they weren’t and he missed that in his presentation…there’s a ton of stuff going on in assembly plants and writing it all down can be tedious.

So, if what he’s describing are these U-nuts in your picture, it would seem John was saying they were installed well after the Paint Shop last station…IOW, there would not be bare fiberglass underneath them ?

What puzzles me is presumably when you removed the U-nuts, they were painted, right ? If so, and if what John says above refers to these U-nuts, why is the fiberglass bare underneath ? Perhaps there was a process change and they were installed in the Body Shop ?

I think these mysteries are fun to ponder !
I’d be interested if you (or someone else) has an explanation 😊
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[Leif A.]

Thank you for the replies and until this thread I did not even realize that the arc cut inside the wheel house was different than a rear exhaust car, equally as pleased to see that this car has it.

I. I was more asking about the outside quarter panel cut - illustrated by the blue line in the first photo below - which appears to me like someone drilled a couple of holes then slid the drill sideways to hack an inch or so off. Granted all of the sawing on the rockers is pretty sloppy.
2. Also I just saw this earlier today, were the 10-24 clipnuts installed when the car was painted? Two were broken and when removed it is bare fiberglass under them.
67_n14_quarter.jpg
N14_clip_bare_f_glass.jpg

James,
If you zoom in on this picture, you can see the cutout you're referring to...hope this helps.